On the line of "Never look a gift horse in the mouth&qu

Something was said about the possibility of refusing a gun even if it were given to you, brought back a childhood memory.

A distant, and much older, relative of mine heard of my interest in guns. Now this was in the days when kids could be entrusted with firearms.

We were riding to some forgotten destination in his pick-up, when he told me "I've got an old revolver you can have." Sure perked me up!

Trying not to appear too eager, I gently quizzed him about it. It was a .44, he told me.

A pristine Colt Single Action appeared in my vision. Then he ventured it was not in too good a condition. Well worn old Colt was the next slide in my imagination.

As he continued, he alluded to the fact it "broke open." The slide dissolved into a Smith & Wesson top break No.3.

All illusions dissappeared when I saw the gun-or rather the wreck of it. It was a top-break, and it was a .44 alright. The trigger guard was gone, and rust spots showed through a former nickel finish. The grips were intact, black hard rubber. The barrel rib read "For .44-40 Winchester" and the butt read "Belgium."

Crestfallen, I thanked him weakly and accepted the gun. I sent a letter off to the NRA's Dope Bag, describing the gun and its condition and asking about the availability of parts.

The Dope Bag's response was stated as gently as possible, but they came short of saying disassemble the gun and scatter its parts over as wide an area as possible. But that's what they meant.

Well, was nearly XX years ago, and Ive been through a lot of guns and a lot of powder since then. But you know, if somebody were to offer me an old revolver right now, I'd still have the same visions.